The Return of the Prodigal Son
After seeing Rembrandt's painting of the prodigal son, the spiritual writer Henri Nouwen wrote this extended reflection on the biblical parable. Nouwen examines the story from three perspectives: the younger son who leaves and returns, the resentful older brother, and the father who welcomes them both. He uses each figure to explore themes of repentance, jealousy, mercy, and the call to receive and offer unconditional love. Drawing on his own struggles and his work with people who have disabilities, Nouwen turns the parable into a guide for the spiritual journey toward home. The book is among his best-known works and is widely read in Christian devotional and pastoral settings, valued for its honesty about envy, failure, and the long path back toward acceptance and peace.
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Henri Nouwen meditates on Rembrandt's painting and the parable of the prodigal son to explore homecoming, forgiveness, and grace.
Henri Nouwen wrote it after encountering Rembrandt's painting of the same parable and reflecting on its meaning.
Nouwen reflects on the parable through three figures: the younger son, the older brother, and the welcoming father.
The Return of the Prodigal Son was written by Henri Nouwen, published in 1992 by Doubleday.
The Return of the Prodigal Son is 142 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Return of the Prodigal Son takes most readers 2 to 3 hours to finish.
The Return of the Prodigal Son is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
